Hope Lutheran Church is a group of Topeka Christians who belong to a national organization called the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod (LCMS) which has an international scope. As a member congregation of the LCMS, Hope has willingly entered into a partnership with other Lutherans who agree to confess and teach the truths of the Holy Bible without compromise.

People The word "synod" is a compound of two Greek words. The word "syn" is a preposition and means "with" or "together with." The word "hodos" means "journey" or "way (of life)." So the word "synod" means "having a way of life together" or "journeying together" or "walking together." As members of the Missouri, Synod, we agree to walk together with other members of the Synod. This walking together means that we agree to teach and confess the truths of the Holy Bible and the Lutheran Confessions, which explain the teachings of the Bible.

The word "Missouri" is an historical reference to our origin. Lutherans from Saxony, Germany emigrated to New Orleans, Louisiana in 1839 and sailed up the Mississippi River in steamboats to St. Louis, Missouri. Part of the group stayed in St. Louis and the rest settled in Perry County, Missouri about 100 miles south of St. Louis. By 1844 one of the pastors, Carl Walther, published a newspaper which circulated throughout the United States. This newspaper carried articles about the teaching and practice of the Missourians which caught the attention of others who believed and taught the same thing. They decided to "walk together."

On April 26, 1847 representatives of sixteen German Lutheran congregations from Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan met in Chicago, Illinois to organize the German Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri, Ohio, and Other States, which was later shortened to the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod.

Today, the LCMS national office is still located in St. Louis, Missouri. We are still known throughout the world for faithfulness to the Holy Bible and a willingness to share without compromise what we believe and teach. Diligent mission activity through the years has established congregations in all 50 states and in 43 other countries. As a result of conversations which discovered theological agreement, we are connected with 19 partner churches around the world.

Our forefathers were German Lutherans who settled in Missouri and faithfully shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others. From a modest beginning in the state of Missouri, the Synod is now international in scope and includes members with ancestors from every continent and race.